Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Petroleum Geology & Geophysics) - Course Structure

Nominal Length

1 year (full-time). Part time not available. The program normally commences on the last Monday in January, and finishes on the first Friday in December.

Type

Fourth year undergraduate SCA-liable program comprising coursework (5 months) and a research project written up as an internally-examined thesis (~ 5 months).

Potential Applicants

Australian and New Zealand citizens who have completed a BSc majoring in geology and/or geophysics and wish to obtain a highly-regarded entry-level qualification for the upstream Australian petroleum industry.

This program is similar in duration and content to many one-year MSc programs offered by universities in other parts of the world. However, students contemplating international work immediately after graduation should be aware that Australian BSc(Honours) degrees are not widely recognised overseas, where an MSc is the normal entry level qualification. For this reason also, international students are advised to consider the MSc(Petroleum Geoscience) program as an alternative to this program, if they have the prerequisite qualifications.

Prerequisite Qualifications

Applicants normally require an Australian B.Sc. degree (3 years) or recognized overseas equivalent, majoring in geology and/or geophysics. Credit average or better preferred. Graduates with majors in related fields (eg physics, chemistry, marine science) may also be eligible.

Coursework

Students take the ASP Geoscience coursework curriculum in the first semester. This will be completed prior to commencing the research project.

Industry Internship

The six weeks following completion of the coursework (late June and July) are spent with the company sponsoring the student's research project, to gain exposure to the industry environment while commencing work on the project. All students are paid a scholarship for this period. Sponsors also pay travelling costs for students assigned to interstate locations. This period allows students to get a feel for working in the industry, and may lead to career opportunities. Occasionally, a project may be sponsored by a research grant to an ASP staff member or one of the industry Consortia run by the School. In such cases, there will be no industry internship, but the student will still receive the normal scholarship payment.

Research Project and Thesis

Upon returning from their sponsor companies, students continue their research work. Research projects are generally sponsored by petroleum companies or government agencies. The data and/or results can be protected by confidentiality agreements if necessary. Students will have at least one academic supervisor and, where appropriate, an industry supervisor from the sponsor company, for their project. The completed project is documented in a thesis, which must be submitted for examination by a deadline in early November.

Intake dates

One intake only per year, in late January, to synchronise with the start of the Geoscience coursework curriculum.

Assessment

Coursework assessments are based on a combination of examinations and the marking of practical exercise and assignments. Results for individual topics are weighted according to the length of the course to arrive at an average coursework mark.

The thesis is assessed by at least three examiners chosen from ASP staff. The marks awarded are moderated by the candidate's performance in an oral examination of their thesis. This exam is held after all the examiners have read the thesis.

The final grade is an equally weighted average of the total coursework mark and the moderated thesis mark.

Cost

• For Australian citizens and permanent residents, and New Zealand Citizens, this program is liable for an SCA (Student Contribution Amount). In 2009, the SCA is AUD 4,162.
• Full fee-paying Australian and international students are also welcome. Tuition fees for 2009 are AUD 22,000.

As these figures and conditions may change, interested students should make enquiries concerning fees to the administration section of the university.

Scholarships/Project Support

All students in this program receive a scholarship prior to the start of their industrial internship. In 2009, this scholarship is AUD 6,000. Interstate students will be considered for the Tony Williams Scholarship (AUD 1,000) or a Relocation Allowance of up to AUD 750. Calls for applications for a number of other competitive scholarships will be made during the year.

ASP also offers Geoscience Scholarships with a number of major petroleum companies. These consist of vacation work with the company prior to enrolling in the ASP BSc(Hons) program, and, pending satisfactory performance during the vacation work, a thesis project with the same sponsor. These scholarships require an excellent undergraduate academic record. Please note the closing date below for these scholarships.

Additional Information for Overseas Applicants

Applications

Application form

Please note the following deadlines for receipt of applications from candidates.

• Australian and New Zealand citizens and Australian permanent residents
  • 31 October, if wishing to be considered for a Geoscience Scholarship. This will allow a worthwhile period of vacation work to be undertaken.
  • 01 December otherwise. Later applications may be considered, at the School's discretion.
• All other applicants
  • 01 October. This is a guideline only, and international students are encouraged to apply as early as possible to ensure sufficient time for visa formalities to be completed before the start of the course.

Academic Program Rules

Students requiring further information should contact the School